LEBANON, Maine — A residence on Oak Hill Road, home to a family of five, was destroyed in a blaze that took fire crews more than an hour Tuesday to get under control.

No one was injured during the fire at 205 Oak Hill Road, which started around 3:40 p.m.

Homeowner Jim Bedard said neither he nor his wife and their three children were home when the fire started. He said their dog found a way to escape the fire uninjured.

According to Bedard, who has lived at the residence since 1996, his neighbor reported the fire shortly after he, Bedard, left home with his children to pick up meat.

By early evening, even after the fire was declared under control, heavy smoke from the home was filling up parts of Oak Hill Road, as firefighters fought the small flames still emerging from the structure.

Fire Deputy Chief Eric Neubert said firefighters first fought the fire defensively, from the outside, and then, with additional manpower, went inside to tackle the blaze offensively.

The home consists of a large living portion and a large side garage, which did not appear to have been affected as much as the rest of the structure.

Neubert said after using defensive methods, with more manpower crews fought back the fire from the side of the garage, to prevent it from spreading to the garage.

"Structurally the garage is still there, but the house is a total loss," said Neubert.

Early Tuesday evening, as fire officials were still on scene doing overhaul procedures to prevent the fire from reigniting, Bedard said he was unsure about his family's future living situation.

Dozens of family members and neighbors came to support the Bedards.

Bedard said he kept his pickup truck and motorcycle in the garage, and was unsure Tuesday evening whether the two vehicles were damaged, and to what degree.

Neubert said there were also reports of ammunition being kept in the garage, but he said it presented little danger during a fire.

"Ammo exploding by itself is not a big deal," he said. "It doesn't make a big explosion."

Fire Chief Skip Wood called in the Maine fire marshal to the scene, said Neubert.

Tuesday's fire drew response from four neighboring towns. Milton and Rochester, N.H., fire departments were the first called to assist, said Neubert. Farmington, N.H., and Berwick fire departments also responded to the scene, as did the Lebanon Rescue Department.

The fire remains under investigation, and no cause has been determined. Neubert said Tuesday that the Fire Marshal's Office will likely investigate the blaze.